Investor Relations

SEVEN KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL INVESTOR RELATIONS 45person will identify and implement the technologies that will participateand aid in running a cost- and time-efficient Investor Relations.The IR information systems manager will participate in developing andmaintaining the tools used to keep track of Investor Relations actions, alongwith technical tools to monitor the share price and stock-market trends, setup contact databases, disseminate press releases, organize conference calls,analyze the shareholder base, and follow the IR department’s budget.The IR information systems manager is also responsible for updatingand managing the Investor Relations section of the Web site, assuring thatit complies with all regulations in effect. This includes identifying contentin the different languages used, assuring that the same terminology is usedin all languages, and that all information is authenticated and date and timestamped.The IR information systems manager will also stay up to date on technologicalchanges that allow the Web site to become a tool for the following: Relations with retail shareholders: electronic voting at annual generalmeetings and management of securities accounts; Relations with analysts and investors: downloading of spreadsheetprograms, management of library archives, virtual roadshows, alertsand subscriptions to press releases, online conference calls, and so on; Compliance with legal obligations governing the reporting of financialinformation to the public.For all these reasons, the information systems manager should also beinvolved in preparing calls for tenders and selecting service providers andspecialized products such as software.Finally, as part of the Investor Relations team, the information systemsmanager must also be involved in the preparation process of InvestorRelations messages and events, in order to assist in responding to informationenquiries from the investment community.Individual shareholder relations. Some IPOs, and particularly privatizations,are large-scale events that attract huge numbers of retailshareholders, usually hundreds of thousands of them. Retail investorscan also be won over by the products or services the company offers, orits dividend policy. Retail investors are stake holders who differ fromanalysts and institutional investors in terms of expectations and behaviours.Because they tend to be much more stable shareholders thaninstitutional investors, most large groups consider it is not only to theiradvantage to promote retail share ownership, but also to enhance their